Favortie brand of blank cassette

[NAD613]

What is/was your favorite brand of blank cassette? Mine was Maxell XL-II S high bias. It was always pricier, about $10/4 pack back in the early 90's, but the cassette housing was solid as a brick.

Sony made a good-quality normal bias tape, HF-S, as well. It was wrapped in a green label & sold for only $2/2 pack at WalMart in the early 90's. It was their TOTL type I cassette & it was almost as good as high-bias.

I wish I would have bought several cases of each back in the day, for sadly, neither one is produced anymore.

[koltrast]

TDK SA-X, easy to tune and very Dolby B,C,S friendly.... Or maybe Maxell MXS, or maybe TDK MAXG... but seriously, most of Maxell's and TDK's better type II or IV were good. I just found that once I'd set my decks for SA-X I didn't need to bother with anything else.. Still don't.

[Scorpion8]

Mostly Maxell XL-IIS, because as stated above the Maxell housing was superb. But my personal favorite was Scotch Master II or while available, the Scotch Master III FeCr tapes. Agfa made a nice FeCr tape also, but it was almost impossible to find.

[BrocLuno]

Maxell XL II, followed by TDK SA. Now after 25 odd years, the Maxells are still playing fine, some TDKs are starting to drag and squeak. All others are not holding up as well (and I have above 6 different brands including Sony, Scotch, Memorex, etc.) :(

[Web Police]

I myself prefer TDK Ma's & SA-X and SA's myself. They seem a slight bit better to my ears than the similar Maxell's. I have quite few 25 year old TDK's and they still work as new.

I maybe somewhat biased though as the TDK's were more widely available in my area.

[NAD613]

Maxell XL II, followed by TDK SA. Now after 25 odd years, the Maxells are still playing fine, some TDKs are starting to drag and squeak. All others are not holding up as well (and I have above 6 different brands including Sony, Scotch, Memorex, etc.) :(

I have to say, even the Maxell UR type I tapes hold up really well & sound good. The other night I listened to one I made about 15 years ago using Dolby C & it sounded great. I cranked up the volume with headphones on & very little, if any, hiss.

[Nikko75]

Fujifilm IEC II Type II HIGH (CrO2) worked really good for me. Prolly best I've ever used.

[Red Stick]

TDK SA-X, or MA is I was feeling wealthy

[6thumbs]

Maxell XL 11S followed by TDK SAs

[braxus]

I've always prefered Maxell tapes, but dabbled in TDK as well. I also have some Denon and Sony tapes which are also good. They all work fine for what they were used for. Truly I didn't notice too much of a difference in any tape, when you used the fine bias control.

[melofelo]

those sony hf-s were excellent tapes :thmbsp: my other favorites were tdk ar90, tdk sax but possibly my favorite of all were the early 80's basf crO2..no they weren't the best chrome tapes ever made...but who could resist them back in '83 ? :scratch2:

[vincei]

TDK MA-X 60min I suppose. Don't have any tape anymore, so I can't say how well they held up.

[ryson2]

Maxell XL2 the basic standard in my house went downhill in my opinion in the mid 90's. The last of the good ones I think were the black ones with the oval window. Everything still sounds great in my opinion when I fire up the Nak though. If I could get back in the money I gave to Maxell, I would be very rich right now.

[ampegdan]

It was Sony HF's back in the day, and they held up pretty well. Yes, those HF's were/are great. I still find them at the thrifts, frequently unopened (bought two today as a matter of fact), but I haven't seen them new in a store in a while. If I need it, I buy Maxell XLII 90's at Walgreen's for $1.49 ea., but I like TDK SA's too. I still find NOS SA's in the thrifts sometimes, but nobody here sells them new that I know of. I pretty much grab whatever type II's I come across. I've only used the Fuji DRII's a couple times but I was impressed with them. Just didn't like the slimline case.
I have picked up a lot of used tapes and checked them out, the only real stinkers I've come across were some old Memorex MRX I's. The HBII's seemed to hold up well. There are so many variables on this kind of thing though, that you really can't judge a tape by its performance twenty years later.

[vinyldavid]

I have a few old NOS Maxells, Denons and Fjui's, and the new production Maxell XLII's (quite a few there), and I didn't lik ethe Fuji's at all. They just never worked well for me. I like the Older Maxell XLII's, but use the new for daily recording, and I record them at a average level of -3 or -4DB, mainly controlled by the peak level light on my Pioneer CT-F9191. When that lights up a lot, I turn the level down. I get GREAT recordings this way with minimum noise and maximum dynamics.

[NAD613]

Here are a few cassette auctions that are kind of interesting:

http://www.liquidationtime.com/detail.asp?id=75127

http://cgi.ebay.com/FOURTEEN-TDK-MA-R90-METAL-IV-SEALED-REFERENE-TAPES-R-90_W0QQitemZ320246327873QQihZ011QQcategoryZ14962QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150242147193&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=005

The 1st & 3rd auctions are potetially fantastic deals, but the shipping, for 600 & 1400 cassettes, is probably quite a bit.

That 2nd one, though; $800 for 14 cassettes? Geez, I should have invested in those back in the day. I wonder if anyone will buy them?

[BrocLuno]

Geez, I bought a 1/2 dozen TDK MA at the thrift store for $1 each about a month ago. They're still out there. You just to need to be a scrounge. ALWAYS check the cassette bins for un-opened stock :)

[Sir.Byrd]

My favorite are TDK MA-XG90 tapes, but that is because I got about 20 for free with my free tape deck from my dads friend, and they sound great!

[stuwee]

My favorite are TDK MA-XG90 tapes, but that is because I got about 20 for free with my free tape deck from my dads friend, and they sound great!

Big second on that, Sir Byrd lucky dawg!! I'm gonna say you need a really nice 3-head with bias and level tone generators, then fine tune by ear.
this goes for I,II,III and IV's, then azumith rears it's ugly head:bash::uzi: I know, I know, get a Dragon stuwee:scratch2:
Craig

[Elfasto]

Maxell XLII's, XLII-S for sure. Excellent high bias tape.

As for Metal type IV's.......all of them. Never heard a bad metal.

[ryson2]

Gods gift to the Maxell Corportation = deadheads.

[ampegdan]

Maxell XLII's, XLII-S for sure. Excellent high bias tape.

As for Metal type IV's.......all of them. Never heard a bad metal.

What, no Radio Shack Supertape?

[Sir.Byrd]

Big second on that, Sir Byrd lucky dawg!! I'm gonna say you need a really nice 3-head with bias and level tone generators, then fine tune by ear.
this goes for I,II,III and IV's, then azumith rears it's ugly head:bash::uzi: I know, I know, get a Dragon stuwee:scratch2:
Craig


The free tape deck is a three head H/K CD-401 deck. Its amazing.
But it has a problem where after about 10 seconds of play the levels max out and the volume fades into nothing. Don't want to hijack this thread but does anyone have any quick fixes?

[darren]

For me TDK SA-X and SA 90 MA-X

Darren

[Elfasto]

What, no Radio Shack Supertape?

That stuff was shit. And not the good kind.
Horrible stuff.

[NAD613]

I went to a thrift store today to find some old blank tapes, but no luck. All they had were pre-recorded tapes. However, there LP had all records for 50 cents each. Didn't buy any, but the selection was pretty good, a lot of easy listening & vocal.

[ampegdan]

That stuff was shit. And not the good kind.
Horrible stuff.

Maybe I'll leave mine in the wrappers for now.:scratch2:
I just figured you being the RS guy you'd know. I have a Realistic SCT-33 deck that's great, so count me #18.

[ampegdan]

The free tape deck is a three head H/K CD-401 deck. Its amazing.
But it has a problem where after about 10 seconds of play the levels max out and the volume fades into nothing. Don't want to hijack this thread but does anyone have any quick fixes?

Couldn't tell ya, but I have a CD491 that I'm probably gonna part out for my HK400XM, so if anything from that one will help let me know. :thmbsp:

[kcollins4]

I seem to recall that Nakamichi owned TDK, and strictly used TDK when designing, testing, and calibrating their decks. Sounds plausible.

[Ronald1973]

That stuff was shit. And not the good kind.
Horrible stuff.
LOL, whaddya expect? They were made by Certron!:sigh:

[NAD613]

LOL, whaddya expect? They were made by Certron!:sigh:

Certron...I think they were the cassettes that were sold 3/99 cents, or $1.29, all 3 in the same piece of cellophane, no cases, full labels already on the tape. Usually sold in the checkout isle by the AA batteries & combs. They were just one of many companies that sold cassettes like that, but I did buy them once, just to see what they were like. AM radio was the only thing you could record on them that sounded at least half-ways decent, and even that was iffy sometimes.

[NotSure]

TDK MAXG 60. Recorded on anything from a Nakamichi CR2 to a CR5 was sex on a stick. They even managed to sound fantastic on the most budget of consumer grade tape decks... I know I know, you can't use metal tape on bottom end equipment... but the TDK MAGX/Nak recordings worked anyway.

[Ronald1973]

Certron...I think they were the cassettes that were sold 3/99 cents, or $1.29, all 3 in the same piece of cellophane, no cases, full labels already on the tape. Usually sold in the checkout isle by the AA batteries & combs. They were just one of many companies that sold cassettes like that, but I did buy them once, just to see what they were like. AM radio was the only thing you could record on them that sounded at least half-ways decent, and even that was iffy sometimes.Right on the dot, lol! I worked for Radio Shack for a couple of years not too long after graduating high school. We had a list of who made the tapes and they made at least made the lower end tapes. They may have made all of them, but that's been too long ago! I do remember Energizer made the Radio Shack batteries, lol!

Now in fairness, Radio Shack had a Type II cassette in the years that cassette was being phased out that was advertised as having the characteristics of a Type IV. I bought the heck out of those when they went on clearance. They sounded pretty good actually. Usually we sold cassettes to college students looking to record lectures. Not that the Shack's tapes were less expensive, but we were the first ones they came to looking for a tape recorder and we always loaded them up on batteries and tapes! I still remember some of the dummies buying Type II cassettes for those little portable players to record lectures! You'd try to talk them into buying the lowest end tapes possible, but they wouldn't go for it. Oh well, I worked on commission anyway, so what the hey, if they wanna blow it, let 'em feed my family!:D

[NAD613]

[QUOTE=Ronald1973;1832149]Right on the dot, lol! I worked for Radio Shack for a couple of years not too long after graduating high school. We had a list of who made the tapes and they made at least made the lower end tapes. They may have made all of them, but that's been too long ago! I do remember Energizer made the Radio Shack batteries, lol!

One thing I really miss about how Radio Shack used to be is all of the cassette & reel-to-reel accessories you could be. You could buy a whole new cassette housing, leader tape, blank inserts for tape cases, take-up reels, splicing blocks, etc... Now, you're lucky if you can find a bottle of head cleaner.

[braxus]

Didn't Tandy make some of the tapes for Radio Shack? At least in the 80s?

[Ronald1973]

Didn't Tandy make some of the tapes for Radio Shack? At least in the 80s?
I'm not sure about the 80's but Tandy WAS Radio Shack. I think during that time a lot of their stuff was made "in house" but I'm not sure. I know by the 90's they were moving away from "in house" to having other companies make their stuff and sticking the Radio Shack label. By the time I left (1998) they were completely getting away from even that and bringing in brand name product. :thumbsdn:

[Ronald1973]

[QUOTE=Ronald1973;1832149]Right on the dot, lol! I worked for Radio Shack for a couple of years not too long after graduating high school. We had a list of who made the tapes and they made at least made the lower end tapes. They may have made all of them, but that's been too long ago! I do remember Energizer made the Radio Shack batteries, lol!

One thing I really miss about how Radio Shack used to be is all of the cassette & reel-to-reel accessories you could be. You could buy a whole new cassette housing, leader tape, black inserts for tape cases, take-up reels, splicing blocks, etc... Now, you're lucky if you can find a bottle of head cleaner.
I snatched a bunch of old stereo needles (ceramic cartridge w/ the old Tetrad/Astatic reference #'s) that had long since been discontinued and were going to be thrown out. I don't even remember what I did w/ all of them, but anything like that I could scarf up, I did.

[NAD613]

It was Sony HF's back in the day, and they held up pretty well. Yes, those HF's were/are great. I still find them at the thrifts, frequently unopened (bought two today as a matter of fact), but I haven't seen them new in a store in a while.

I was in WalMart today & they had 2 packs of Sony HF 90 minute for $1.49 & 10 packs @ Target for $6.99, I think.

By the way, I had no idea BASF cassettes were so highly thought of. Montgomery Wards used to have 4 or 5 pack bricks of those for a pretty cheap price. I can't believe I bought Scotch over them! The Scotch cases of the early 90's are probably the worst of any audio tape I've ever used. Very noisy when FF or RW, kind of like a howl or whining.

[Eagle1]

The Scotch cases of the early 90's are probably the worst of any audio tape I've ever used. Very noisy when FF or RW, kind of like a howl or whining.

I don't know if they were the worst but I had 2 Scotch Master lll's out of 5 that howled like a bad bearing in FF, RW and play. It was so bad and unfixable I had to toss them with some good recordings on them. I do like the way you could remove 5 screws and open up the case.

[NAD613]

I don't know if they were the worst but I had 2 Scotch Master lll's out of 5 that howled like a bad bearing in FF, RW and play. It was so bad and unfixable I had to toss them with some good recordings on them. I do like the way you could remove 5 screws and open up the case.

I've even had el cheapo Certron-type tapes that didn't have any of the problems the Scotch had. Looking back, I should have swapped the tape from the Scotch & put it in the Certron housing.

[Elfasto]

I went thru my cassette collection and I have a surprising amount of Denon HD7 and HD8 blank tapes, so I guess I'll add those to my favorite's.

They sound just as good as the XLII's and XLII-S tapes, but they seem to have a hotter output when I played them back.

[Brent71]

I used to love Denon HD7 and HD8 cassettes.
http://orby.trideja.com/GeneratedItems/cassette/denon_hd_8_60[1].jpg

[nakmandan]

TDK MA-R :drool: with the metal frame was my all time favorite but they were too expensive. Still are! I only had one for that reason. These are a member of the small group of blank metals selling in the stratosphere range on eBay right now. I personally think there is something curiously wrong with a blank tape selling for more than the price of the deck!

In the common man category, I liked the Denon HD-8's over all. Still have a bunch of those and they turn up in auctions now and then.

As far as what is still available today new, I like the Maxell XL-II. Most of my decks are Nakamichis and they do quite nicely with it. :music: In the type I arena, I've found the TDK D does better than the Maxell UR. I've had problems trying to set the bias/levels on some of my Naks with the Maxell UR.:no:

Usually when I refurbish a tape deck, I will set the bias and levels for all three types internally for a particular brand of tape like Maxell, TDK, Denon, etc. The decks I setup for Maxell tapes work fine on MX, XL-II/XL-IIS but almost always have problems with UR. I switch over to TDK D and they settle right in.

I've started to hear rumors of Maxell dropping XL-II from production. I missed the boat when all the manufacturers dropped metals and the higher end CRO2's from their lineup. Maybe it's time to start buying up the XL-II's before they disappear too.:scratch2:

[SkyLounger]

http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=148041&highlight=cassette


see post #7 for my favorite...